I was catcalled while walking down the street with friend of mine. A man rolled down his window, leaned out and yelled, “You have a nice ass!” I felt ridiculed, as this man was a complete stranger but felt as though he had the right to comment on my body.

– Hannah

Location: Madison, WI

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

One night I was riding shotgun in my mom’s borrowed red truck and we were going to the library. (Keep in mind I’m a 15 year old girl and my mom is 49.) I was finishing the book I was going to return when two 20-year-old guys whistled at us and yelled. “Hey sexy things,” and continued to whistle even after we drove away. I felt disgusted because we were just DRIVING DOWN A ROAD, but I guess it can happen at any time or place. I didn’t react during the situation but after I mostly just felt angry because other women experience much worse and just that little taste of harassment made me feel kind of awful.

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

We could teach boys growing up now that catcalling and harassing women is not okay. Right now we could stick together as women and help each other if we are something happening to her.

– M

Location: Johnstown, PA

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

A few years ago I was walking down a street in Brooklyn with my boyfriend when a young man and women passed us. I was closest to the young man, and just as he was passing us he leaned close to me and whispered, “Mmm let me get that.”

This is a common tactic of street harassers in New York and it’s an attempt at gaslighting – usually no one else can hear what they say so when you yell at them, you look crazy. I yelled anyway, and thankfully my boyfriend – as well as the man selling Christmas trees down the block! – came to my defense, even when the girl threatened to fight me. I felt unsafe and disgusted, then relieved, and then just sad that it had to happen at all.

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

Honestly I think the best way to combat street harassment is to teach boys when they are young about consent and self control.

– Anonymous

Location: Brooklyn sidewalk, NY

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

I was walking home late from class or work, getting off the train in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, where a man stopped me to ask for my number. I was flattered, but then he mentioned seeing me around catching the train in the morning and knew the street I lived on. Of course, now I grew concerned, said thank you, but no thanks and began to walk away.

This man began to follow me, ask why I wouldn’t give him a chance and what harm was there giving him my number. I continued to politely dismiss him hoping he will stop and walk away, but he didn’t. Now being two blocks from my home, I decided to walk in the backyard of some random house hoping he thought I lived there. I waited for an hour before going back out in the open. I knew trying to use my phone could have triggered something, so staying calm and playing dumb was what I thought at the time was my best chance of getting out of that situation.

No woman should have to behave around a human being as if he was a wild animal ready to attack, but that is what happened. I moved soon after because I began to collect more experiences like this one. I realize now that I am older how lucky I was to get out of situations that didn’t escalate. I really wouldn’t have to feel lucky if all men knew that harassment wasn’t right or acceptable anywhere.

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

We must educate our male counterparts and stop normalizing harassment and disrespect. We must heal the minds of those who think women in society as a whole no matter their ethnicity, culture, religion or sexual orientation are just objects that breathe.

– Majella Mark

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

I was waiting at a bus stop with headphones on, and a man standing near me stared intently at me. He started talking to me and didn’t stop until I removed my headphones. He asked increasingly personal questions about me (where I go to school, what’s my name, where do I live, etc.) while ignoring my refusal to answer most of them, then started asking me to get a drink with him. He continued to ask, despite multiple refusals, until the bus came.

Once on the bus, he stood close to me and stared until I got to my stop. I got off and ran home, hoping he wasn’t following me, but feeling as if I had overreacted. The next day, I walked to a bus stop in a completely different part of the city. I heard my first name and felt someone grab my arm. It was the same man from the night before. He started pulling me towards him, saying that this was fate and we had to get a drink now, and kept a tight grip on my arm. I was pulling and asking him to leave me alone, all while dozens of pedestrians walked right past us, ignoring the scene.

I was finally able to free my arm from his grasp and ran across the street, dodging traffic, and jumped onto a bus going the wrong direction just to get away. I had never felt so violated and alone. I had no control over the situation and it felt like no one was willing to help me. I was shaking and continuously checking that he hadn’t made it on to the bus as well.

An elderly woman gave me a kind smile and patted my arm without saying anything. That gesture did so much to comfort me and helped me know that I’m not invisible.

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

The most important action we can take to make public places safer is teaching everyone, boys especially, that any form of harassment is unacceptable. We should teach our children (and adults, because clearly they still need to learn) that forcing your presence on someone is never okay. We cannot let this behavior continue to be normalized. As women and allies, we must not continue to turn a blind eye if we see any harassment

– AC

Location: Rome, Italy

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.